For too long, attempts at crime and violence have focused on the symptoms and not the root causes of crime, such as poverty, mental health issues, and substance abuse. We can take a holistic approach to safety, focusing on prevention, support services, and strengthening community ties.

 

We can uplift our community and reduce the conditions in which crime thrives by:

 

• Providing Lansing’s young people with positive outlets through after-school programs, mentorship, and job training while expanding diversion programs to keep nonviolent offenders out of jail and connected with necessary services

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• Supporting community policing initiatives, where law enforcement engages directly with residents to build positive relationships, increase transparency, and work together to solve problems.

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• Enhancing services for victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, and other violent crimes, including legal assistance, emergency housing, and trauma recovery programs, to help survivors rebuild their lives

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• Reducing reliance on police for non-violent situations by investing in non-police response teams (social workers, EMTs, etc.) for situations involving mental health, addiction, and homelessness.

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• Requiring detailed, accessible public reporting on police practices, crime statistics, and community-police interactions to ensure the community has the information needed to hold police accountable.